C 1671 
D7 
opy 1 



THE PAGEANT OF ENLIGHTENMENT 

PRESENTED BY 

THE COLLEGE WOMAN'S CLUB OF 
ESSEX COUNTY 

WEEQUAHIC PARK, JUNE, 1914 



TO GIVE PUBLICITY TO THE CAUSE OF A 
STATE COLLEGE FOR WOMEN 



Contributions to the $100,000 Fund for the erection of a 
State College for Women may he sent to Mrs. Galen J. Perrett, 
249 ML Prospect Ave., Newark, N. J. 



PAGEANT OF ENLIGHTENMENT 



BY 

FLORENCE K. DOLL 






-£0 FHOM 
••.--: off 

•Hflf 22 ?§1* 



JUN 18 1914 




Reproduced by Courtesy of Mr. French 

and 

Wellesley College 



program of fflu&it 

BY 

SOUTH SIDE HIGH SCHOOL ORCHESTRA 

LEONARD B. McWHOOD, Conductor 



©torture 

Overture to "Iphigenia in Aulis," Gluck 

©ante of neurit* of ©arfenesft 

Humereske, Dvorak 

©ante of Spirit of Higfjt 

Moment Musical No. 3, Schubert 

Jftttale 

March from 'The Queen of Sheba," Gounod 



LAUTER PIANO USED 



pageant Urtorp 



Prologue. 

Episode i. — Guardian Spirit of the Pageant. 
To the music of the overture there enters a symbolic figure, 
the Spirit of Enlightenment, who represents the dynamic force of 
the Pageant. She bears in her hands the scrolls of the world's 
history. She walks slowly across the green to her throne. Upon 
arriving there, by her power, she lights the fire of knowledge in 
her tripod. She then summons the pageant to take place before 
her. 

Episode 2. — The Attributes of Woman. 

At the summons of the Spirit of Enlightenment, there enter 
six women symbolizing the attributes of woman. Because woman 
has those attributes, Enlightenment favors her cause and invites 
the six women to seat themselves about her throne. 

First figure bearing a book, Truth 

Second figure carrying a lamp, Wisdom. 

Third figure carrying flowers, Grace. 

Fourth figure holding a torch, Power. 

Fifth figure holding a globe, Purity. 

Sixth figure leading a child, Maternity. 

Episode 3. — The Chorus of Women. 

After Enlightenment has thus graciously received woman's 
spiritual attributes, there enters a procession of women, who sing 
a supplication to her that the Light may shine on womankind. 

Spirit of Light, now hear our crying. 

We, in our darkness, grope for thy light. 

Blindly we're yearning, help in our need, 

Grant to us thy light ! 

Pure lives we bring thee, courage to struggle ; 

Oh ! hear our prayer, and grant us thy light, 

Ages we've waited ! Save us from darkness ! 

Justice we plead; mercy we need, 

Hands are outstretched, we wait, we plead, we pray. 

Grant us thy light ! 

Interlude i. — The Spirits of Darkness and Light. 

Two groups of spirits enter, the first representing Darkness, 
the second representing Light. In the dance the Spirits of Dark- 
ness triumph over the Spirits of Light, and drive them from the 
green. 

The dance typifies the fact that in early history women in 
general had no opportunity for enlightenment, and thus expres 
the theme of Part I of the Pageant. 



Episode i. — The Training of the Greek Youth. 

This episode represents the typical training of the Greek 
youth. Pallas Athene, the patron goddess of Wisdom, enters 
as the guardian spirit. Next there enter four teachers, who seat 
themselves in the following order : 

To the extreme left, the teacher of reading, writing, 
arithmetic. 

Second, the teacher of music. 
Third, the teacher of oratory. 
Fourth, the teacher of gymnasium. 

Next enter the Greek youths, accompanied by their peda- 
gogues, or body servants, without whom the Greek schoolboy did 
not appear on the street. 

The boys go to their various teachers and are instructed. 

At the end of the tableaux the boys pause in their respective 
tasks to hear one of their number recite some lines from Homer. 
At a sign from Pallas Athena the youths withdraw, followed by 
their patron goddess. 

There then enters a Greek girl blindfolded. The bandage is 
convention. She gropes after the opportunities of her brothers, 
but they and their patron goddess turn their backs upon her. 

Efisode 2. — A Monastery School. 

The fact that the church early in her history became the 
patron and guardian of learning is represented by the next episode. 
The time is about 800. 

In procession enter the members of a monastery school, 
supposedly on their w r ay from morning mass, to begin the studies 
of the day. The boys in the procession include both those whr 
are destined for the church and those who attend for intellectua* 
training only. 

A barbarian family watches them. The boy becoming eager, 
pleads with his father to be allowed to join them. The father 
refuses, but the boy at length breaks away and begs of the monks 
to be taken into the school. The monks at length receive him. 

Meantime the girl has begged that she, too, may join the 
school. The mother, horrified at the idea, refuses. The girl, 
unable to understand this discrimination, continues to plead. The 
mother finally strikes her to silence her. 






Episode 3. — The Spirit of the Renaissance. 

In this episode we see a crowd of people on an English 
green in the time of the Renaissance. They move about chatting, 
all ranks and conditions mingling freely together. Among them, 
five groups should be distinguished. 

1. At the extreme left is a group of somberly clad univer- 
sity scholars engaged in serious conversation. Of their wives, 
one listens eagerly to their talk, the others chat idly together. 

2. Also at the left, but farther up the field, gathered about a 
tradesman's guild banner, is a company of merchants busily 
engaged in discussing matters of trade. 

3. In the center of the foreground is a group of gentlefolk 
having a merry time. 

4. At the extreme right stand three churchmen. 

5. At the right further back in the field stand a number of 
seamen. Among this throng there presently moves a woman, — 
The Spirit of the Renaissance, — of the new learning. Unseen by 
them she passes among them. By the influence of her presence 
a new energy and enthusiasm animates the scene. Suddenly she 
pauses in the center, and summons her powers. Dancing figures 
come from the sides bearing in their hands the symbols of the new 
forces of the Renaissance. These make their way to the Spirit. 
She sends each one to stir the soul of some man in the crowd 
with the spirit of leadership. 

To the scholars come two figures, one brings new classical 
manuscript, the other a new astronomical chart. To the church- 
men comes a figure bringing a book, — the open Bible in the 
speech of the people. To the seaman a figure brings a ship and a 
mariner's compass, and touches him with the zeal of exploration. 

The dancing figures now return to the Spirit, who leads them 
ofT into a new world. The various men upon whom the leader- 
ship of this new birth has fallen now begin to move among the 
crowd and win followers. With their followers they move off 
one by one in the train of the Spirit. 

Of the women, some with longing, some with indifference, 
watch the men go. Only a few venture to join the group of 
scholars. They are on the whole, little touched by the wonders of 
this new movement. 



$art tEtoo 

Interlude 2. — Dance of the Spirits. 

Again the spirits of Darkness and of Light dance. The 
spirits of Light now overcome the spirits of Darkness and drive 
them from the green. 

The dance typifies that woman at length comes into her own, 
and that for her the light is more and more shining, and thus 
presents the theme of Part 2 of the Pageant. 

Episode i. — The Call of Industry to Women. 

This episode represents the industrial position of women in 
New England in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The 
women are seen to be engaged in typical tasks of the household. 
The various groups represent the humbler women engaged in 
weaving, sewing, dairying, and working in the field; those of 
means, visit, read, and oversee their household. 

In the background appears the Spirit of Industry. In her 
train are figures carrying symbols of the new mechanical forces 
and the new industries. 

The first represents Waterpower. 

The second represents Machinery. 

The third represents Factories. 

The fourth represents the Textile Industry. 

The fifth represents the Paper Industry. 

The sixth represents the Shoe Industry. 

Industry sounds the trumpet of opportunity whereupon the 
women in the foreground become enthralled. One by one the 
younger women, against the entreaties of their elders, heed the 
call of opportunity and follow Industry to the city. 

The episode is based on the following quotation, "The war 
for independence in America was an experience from which the 
people never recovered sufficiently to be quite certain that what 
had been must continue forevermore. Their faith in precedent 
had met a shock. The other bomb was the invention of ma- 
chinery. It drew women out of their world-old setting and thrust 
them into new relations. After people had grown accustomed 
to seeing them do familiar work in a strange place and in a strange 
way, they were less fearful of the dangers incident to further 
scene shifting. When one person could accomplish what it had 
taken more than one to do before, the others, of necessity, cast 
about for something fresh. 



Episode 2. — Mary Lyon, a Pioneer for Higher Education 

for Women. 

The field again represents New England in the summer of 
the year 1837. In the background are seen some young girls 
blue-berrying. In the woods their men folk are sawing logs. 
Across the field a man is harrowing, further off some women are 
hoeing. 

A woman, auburn-haired, and blue eyed, in whose face there 
is the light of a great purpose, comes driving into the field. This 
is Mary Lyon, the founder of Mount Holyoke Female Seminary. 
Her new seminary is to open in the fall, and she is making a last 
desperate appeal to the farmers of New England for funds to 
buy the furnishings of the seminary. To them she and her cause 
are well known. 

The men call to those across the field. All listen eagerly to 
her firm, eager pleading. The young girls hear wide-eyed her 
talk of the new school, and shyly drop pennies into her green bag. 
The farmers slowly dig down into their pockets and give sums 
varying from a quarter to a dollar. One girl runs rapidly home 
and returns with a pair of blankets. While she is gone a father 
asks Miss Lyon concerning the cost of the new school, and then 
and there enrolls his daughter. All these Mary Lyon receives 
with equal grace. With a hearty farewell she again climbs into 
her carriage and drives off. 

Eptsode 3. — In the Spirit of the First Vassar Commence- 
ment. 

In reality the first Vassar Commencement at which four 
young women were graduated, took place in the college chapel, 
June 19, 1867. A program in which each graduate took part was 
given. The pageant represents in spirit the end of the program, 
based on the personal account of Mrs. Maria L. McGraw, a mem- 
ber of this first graduating class. 

In the front row sit the four graduates. Across from them 
are Miss Lyman, Miss Mitchell, and Dr. Avery, and others of the 
faculty. Back of them stand the undergraduates and parents. 
Presiding are Mr. Vassar and Pres. Raymond. 

At the conclusion of the program the class goes off to plant 
the ivy. 

Episode 4. — New Jersey Granting Her Women a State 

College. 

Enter New Jersey, reluctantly led in by her neighbor states 
New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut, Massachusetts 



They escort her to the Spirit of Enlightenment, who receives her 
and shows her the scroll of the world's history. New Jersey 
unwillingly reads. At a signal from Enlightenment the former 
pageant players enter and pass in review before New Jersey to 
the rear of the field. 

There then enter the people of New Jersey. Among the 
throng are young children, school girls, factory girls, business 
women, professional women, teachers, college women. On 
bended knee and with outstretched arms, they beg the boon of a 
state college of New Jersey. She, overcome, stretches out her 
arms to them in loving surrender, turns and records her decision 
on the scroll of the world's history. All rise in gladness as she 
does this. 

The chorus of women sing the song of triumph and thanks- 
giving. 

Awake, arise, break forth and sing! 

Now is the hour when woman's heart is glad, 

The light doth dawn. 

Passed is the yearning, the struggle, the pain. 

Loosed are the fetters that bound us for years. 

Awake, arise, break forth and sing! 

Rejoice, the light doth shine! 

Generations unborn shall feed 

The flame we light to-day, 

Shall keep it burning bright. 

In them our hope lies, 

For them we 1 labor. 

They shall with us give thanks thro' the years, 

Awake, arise, break forth and sing 

The dawn doth break and bring the light. 



pageant Committee 

Florence K. Doll Chairman 

Jessie L. Creamer Business Manager 

Marie L. Wolfs Master of Ceremonies 

Belle Tiffany Sutherland Leader of Chorus 

Emilie Mercy Leader of Dances 

Mary Jones Leader of Dances 

Edith C. Putnam Leader of Episode I, Part L, 

Adra Fitts Armitage Leader of Episodes II, III, Part I. 

Florence E. Cooper Leader of Episode I, Part II. 

Mary W. Lyons .....Leader of Episode II, Part II. 

Bertha Loew Leader of Episode III, Part II. 

Myrtelle Hoppen Leader of Episode IV, Part II. 

Sarah Morris Custodian of Costumes 

Mabel Denton Custodian of Costumes 

Antoinette Rehmann Perrett Member at Large 

Grace; Thompson Member at Large 

Christine Van Wagenen Member at Large 

The Committee hereby extends its he'arty thanks to Miss May Fay, Mr. 
McWhood and the South Side Orchestra, the Essex County Park Com- 
mission, the Press, the Newark Board of Education, Mr. Henry A. Strobell, 
and the many friends who have so faithfully helped us. 



Press of East Orange 
Publishing Co. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



019 646 448 7 



